Events

Events are organised to raise funds for and to further projects and to provide some social occasions for members and supporters.

At the Annual General Meeting  on 18^th April 2011 Mary Richards was inducted as President for 2011 – 2012.  Marie Collie, who transferred to Cwmbran from Winchester, became President-elect.  

Rosemary Jackson assumed the role of secretary again

Joyce Jarrett continued as Treasurer

Marian John continued as convenor of Programme Action

Caroline Lewis will be the Regional Representative.

Paddy Landers and Sallie Slade are jointly responsible for organising Events and Fundraisers.

Following the AGM, everyone enjoyed a meal and chatted.

At a club meeting prior to the AGM, 2 new members were welcomed into the club, Gaynor Sinton and Anne Carpenter.

Annual Joint Club Lunch

Cwmbran, Abergavenny, Newport 

S.I. Newport were the host club for Abergavenny, Cwmbran and Newport’s joint Annual luncheon. Fellow Soroptimists and guests enjoyed the lunch at Glen –yr- Afon Hotel Usk.

The guest speaker was Mr Tim Ryan a prime mover in the “Severn Princess” Restoration project. He showed old photographs and video footage and spoke very entertainingly of the old Beachley – Aust Ferry which ran from 1931 until the First Severn Crossing opened in 1966.  It has been a massive project which entailed bringing the “wreck” of the Severn Princess from Ireland across the Irish Sea and up the Severn to Chepstow.

Sparkle

13th. June 2011

In June, following a brief club business meeting and following a meal, we had a talk on the new children’s centre (“Serennu” ) in Newport.  This was given by Lisa Thomas, Corporate Fund Raising officer for the centre and Charity “Sparkle”.  “Sparkle” is one of President Mary’s charities for this year.  The centre is a multidisciplinary focus for all the therapeutic services for disabled children.  It accommodates physiotherapists, speech & language therapists, occupational therapists and anyone else who may have an input into a child’s management.  There are also hydrotherapy facilities.  An important function of the centre is to provide support to the parents.  Parents also have access to the facilities at night.  Club members have been invited to visit the centre on June 30^th. As a follow-up, Club members visited the Sparkle Centre on June 30th.

Regional Recognition

June 2011

Cwmbran Club was highly commended by Regional Council of Wales South for its work with the artREGEN which is a voluntary body dedicated to the regeneration of Pontypool through the Arts. The award recognised the cooperation developed between local voluntary and statutory bodies in Pontypool. Cwmbran SI set up artREGEN in 1998 and still has strong representation in the group. 

Strawberry & Fizz 

3rd. July 2011

Representatives of Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Abergavenny Clubs and friends attended the annual Strawberry & Fizz lunch at the Glen-yr-Afon Hotel, Usk.

Visit of New Zealand Soroptimist to Club Meeting

 12th September 2011

Sue Dunscombe a New Zealand Soroptimist attended the12th September club meeting, together with her host Julia Howard..  Sue was born in Abersychan and emigrated to New Zealand with her family.  She spoke about the Programme Action work which her club does.  They also knit hats and support a Women’s Refuge.  What was striking was our very similar areas of work although currently they are working particularly to help the victims of the Christchurch earthquake.

Meeting on Alcohol Abuse in Women & Young Girls

September 26th. 2011

Some members from the Newport, Abergavenny Clubs joined with the Cwmbran Club for an information giving evening on Young women and alcohol. Regional President Carys Brown was in attendance. The panel consisted of: 

Andrew Meaney – Senior Trading Standards Officer Torfaen, Daryl Dewar – Crime Reduction disorder  Police Officer, Jackie Williams – Senior Health Promotion Specialist Health Authority, Caroline Jones – club member &Senior Counsellor Youth  Sexual Health Service

The meeting was opened by Carys who explained the project was adopted by the South Wales Region in conjunction with “Platform 51”  (formerly the YWCA) following concerns expressed on the extent of alcohol abuse in young women & adolescent girls. Clubs are now on a fact finding mission and a summary of the findings will be given at the December Regional meeting.

Marian (Programme Action Convenor) gave an overview: 

Each of the guests described what their roles were in connection with alcohol abuse and how they dealt with it.  The problem is not an easy one and there are many causative factors, including the current youth culture i.e. it is OK to get legless, the ease and cheapness of obtaining alcohol, family culture as well as genetic factors.

It was a very informative meeting and produced many questions

To obtain a more detailed report go to Projects Report on Alcohol Abuse

Tools for Self Reliance

As well as collecting tools for the charity “Tools for Self Reliance Cymru” the club now gathers sewing and knitting materials.  Caroline & Marian now take these items to Crickhowell and help the ladies of T.S.F.R. Cymru ro assemble kits to be sent to Tanzania.  On September 29^th some of our members gathered to sort the items donated.

Talk by Paralympians

On Monday 10^th October club members had an inspirational talk by 2 young  disabled athletes.   Jenny McLoughlan who competed in the Olympics in Beijing and Commonwealth Games in India where she won a gold medal, and a bronze medal in New Zealand and Ieuan Combes who competed in the European games in the javelin & discus.  He now plays wheelchair rugby. Both are ambassadors for “Sparkle”  one of our club charities for this year.

Jenny explained that there are different classifications depending on degree of disability.  They both said  that sport gave them relief from medical treatments, doctors etc. and helped to introduce a feeling of normality and the will to overcome disability.  They did not have the benefits of “Sparkle” and feel that it will greatly help future generations of disabled children and make life better for them.  It will also mean that all treatments are taken in one place.  Both have experienced difficulty in attracting sponsorship and Jenny has had very little.  Ieuan has lost some of his sponsor ship, but is now receiving some from the Welsh Academy. Jenny is hoping to compete in the London Olympics and has reached the qualifying times in her events..  Both train 6 days a week in Cardiff.  Both said that they look forward to the day when they are integrated with the able-bodied Olympics  and when they have equal media coverage.

As well as having a very full sporting life, they are also pursuing academic careers.  Jenny is at Cardiff University studying Philosophy and Politics and Ieuan at U.W.I.C studying medical sciences.  We all wondered how they managed to study and train.  Both said that the will power and determination needed to overcome their disabilities helped them to study.  They had to get up earlier and work in the evenings.

They were asked several questions and President Mary thanked them for giving up their precious time to come and talk to us.

SPARKLE FOR SPARKLE

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